Day 7: Athens
I was very excited this morning when I woke up and realized we were in Athens (actually Piraeus – the port for Athens). When I looked out the window I have to admit – I was a bit crestfallen.
Athens is the most extreme example of unchecked urban sprawl I have ever seen. It is overall the ugliest city I have ever seen… with the possible exception of Butte Montana. I was somewhat horrified. I had been told that Athens was ugly, dirty, and not worth the bother, but really! This place… it was like the Borg had decided to overbuild in 1950’s and 60’s shi**y urban nightmare style – all tacky, uninspired apartments/condos and utilitarian buildings. Il Duce’s designs in Italy were more inspired than this. I could only hope that seeing the Acropolis would make up for this vision of dystopian horror…
Fortunately, my expectations for the remnants of the cradle of Western civilization were met and possibly exceeded. The Acropolis is a breathtaking and awe inspiring sight – a monument to the ingenuity of an ancient and enlightened society. We spent about three hours wandering about the ruins, snapping photos and just breathing in the whole atmosphere. Afterward we came out and into the Plaka – the old city’s shopping district. It’s a heavily crowded, cramped, vibrant hustle and bustle that we all were a little overwhelmed by. We managed to find a spot for lunch and sat watching the drama of a Saturday afternoon in the Plaka unfold before us as we ate out gyros and souvlaki.
After lunch it was all we could manage to walk back to the boat from the subway station and then crawl into our beds for a nap before dinner – dazzled, bedraggled, and generally spent for the day.
We had no idea what wonders lay in store for the following day in the paradise that is Santorini.
Athens is the most extreme example of unchecked urban sprawl I have ever seen. It is overall the ugliest city I have ever seen… with the possible exception of Butte Montana. I was somewhat horrified. I had been told that Athens was ugly, dirty, and not worth the bother, but really! This place… it was like the Borg had decided to overbuild in 1950’s and 60’s shi**y urban nightmare style – all tacky, uninspired apartments/condos and utilitarian buildings. Il Duce’s designs in Italy were more inspired than this. I could only hope that seeing the Acropolis would make up for this vision of dystopian horror…
Fortunately, my expectations for the remnants of the cradle of Western civilization were met and possibly exceeded. The Acropolis is a breathtaking and awe inspiring sight – a monument to the ingenuity of an ancient and enlightened society. We spent about three hours wandering about the ruins, snapping photos and just breathing in the whole atmosphere. Afterward we came out and into the Plaka – the old city’s shopping district. It’s a heavily crowded, cramped, vibrant hustle and bustle that we all were a little overwhelmed by. We managed to find a spot for lunch and sat watching the drama of a Saturday afternoon in the Plaka unfold before us as we ate out gyros and souvlaki.
After lunch it was all we could manage to walk back to the boat from the subway station and then crawl into our beds for a nap before dinner – dazzled, bedraggled, and generally spent for the day.
We had no idea what wonders lay in store for the following day in the paradise that is Santorini.
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